Influenced by housing affordability pressures, the pace of U.S. home price increases slowed in February. Data from the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, which tracks nationwide price trends, showed that prices rose by **0.7%** year-over-year in the 12 months ending in February, compared to a 0.8% increase in January. An analyst from S&P Dow Jones Indices stated, "In February, home prices declined on a year-over-year basis in more than half of the nation's major metropolitan areas. This indicates that the cooling trend in the housing market is no longer confined to the Sun Belt but is spreading more broadly." The report highlighted that the U.S. inflation rate has now exceeded the national home price growth rate for nine consecutive months. Among the 20 cities included in the survey, Chicago recorded the highest year-over-year price increase in February at 5.04%. It was followed by New York and Cleveland, with increases of 4.74% and 4.15%, respectively. Denver performed the weakest, with home prices falling 2.18% compared to the previous year.